Bilateral Breathing Article

[Darren]

Interesting article for those wondering if they should...

http://www.trifuel.com/training/swim/bilateral-breathing-should-you-breathe-to-both-sides?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TrifuelTraining+%28Trifuel+Tr iathlon+Training%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

[Kevin]

Yes, absolutely. It's pretty much essential.
However, when you race anything over 200yards you'll want to breathe every stroke to one side. In open water there will be times when you are better off breathing on your weak side for a section. If you can breathe every 3rd stroke in a race, you are probably not going hard enough.

[KyleG]

Absolutely agree. The problem with breathing every 3rd stroke is your body will go into 'oxygen debt' after about 200 yards. When this happens you will slow down tremendously, and become more fatigued. To keep on track in open water you are better off siting every 8th or so stroke, and breathing to one side.

[Rachel]

Nice article. I have always been a bilateral breather and use this method for most swim practice and longer distance racing as I find it keeps me in a smooth rhythm and (hopefully) a straighter line. I've never had a problem with oxygen debt in a race (not that I've noticed anyway) but may have had a slower time in exchange for feeling more comfortable. However, I'll often breath to one side during speed work and/or shorter distance stuff...

[joereed]

I think Antonio is a bilateral breather too.

[Tiana]

I think Antonio is a bilateral breather too.

I think you meant heavy breather.

Thanks for the article. I am guilty of breathing to one side since starting swimming in 1/08. I have been practicing breathing to my weaker side during practice and drills (thanks to our awesome swim coaches for making me stick to it). Heaven forbid one of my lats gets bigger than the other one.

[Justine]

Absolutely agree. The problem with breathing every 3rd stroke is your body will go into 'oxygen debt' after about 200 yards. When this happens you will slow down tremendously, and become more fatigued. To keep on track in open water you are better off siting every 8th or so stroke, and breathing to one side.

not true. you can go into debt sooner or later depending on conditioning and pace. Oxygen debt doesnt have to slow you down, but it plays with what energy systems you are using, and could have effects later on in a triathlon (ie beginning of the bike)

I promote bilateral breathing both in practice and open water. Reasons being:

1.the nature of open water is unperdicticable, dont commit to one side (kinda like with the ladies, right kyle?)

2.INJURY, INJURY, INJURY

3.natural rythum

[LauraH]

Just going to throw this out there because it has worked very well for me (racing, open water and otherwise) and I haven't heard anyone else ever suggest something like it.

I breath with a 3, 2 pattern. Three strokes, breath, two strokes, breath, (both on the same side) three strokes breath, (this switches sides), two strokes breath, etc. This makes sure I'm alternating the side I breath on, but also allows me to get more air by having a breath every two strokes in there.

When I need even more air, it is easy to adapt this to 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2 etc.

Dunno if anyone else will find that helpful, but it works great for me. :)

Smiles,
Laura